Supporting mathematical study without pen and paper: some scenarios for discussion

1. Supporting mathematical study without pen and paper: some scenarios for discussion Emma Cliffe AccessMSORWG

2. The plan • Introduce some scenarios • Note/demo some technologies and methods which might be used to support the students • Discussions in groups – consider one or more of the scenarios in the context of your role and organisations • How would you support the student(s)? Which staff would be involved? What would be difficult to achieve? What resources, knowledge and training might be required by staff? • Produce a list of ‘missing’ advice sources, specific practice recommendations, services, communication routes, research etc. which you feel need to be addressed

3. ‘Andrew’ • Blind since early childhood • Competent Braille reader (UK Braille) and JAWS user • At A level Andrew started learning some LaTeX, he is aware that by reading and writing LaTeX source code he will be able to communicate directly with staff • Confident using tactile diagrams and working with descriptions • Can touch type, prefers to use a text editor to produce text rather than Microsoft Office which he finds cumbersome • About to start a mathematics degree • Department holds a mixture of handwritten and LaTeX notes • Department uses some required textbooks and there is a recommended reading list • Software includes MatLab, Maple and R

4. ‘Andrew’ Broad possibilities for the reading and writing formats: • Braille based: Read and write Braille and maths Braille directly • Requires transcription of higher level mathematics [4,6,8,12] • Communication barrier between student and their peers and tutors. • Read/write LaTeX: screenreader and refreshable Braille [1,2,9,11] • To minimise working memory load need appropriate mode of working with LaTeX • Completely removes transcription and communication barrier, requires new skills Also: • Graphical based: Read DotsPlus Braille – Write into a graphical format • DotsPlus not used much in UK… • Audio based: requires format that can be read aloud [1,3,9,13,20,21] • Requires translation of higher level mathematics into MathML or via MathJax • Long equations and precise reading difficult – working memory Key likely to be flexibility of approach and early skill acquisition [2]

5. Tech, low-tech and people! • Specialist commercial mathematical software • InftyReader, ChattyInfty, InftyEditor • Ad hoc, research output and Open Source • Wide variety of document transform software [3] including newer appearances such as Maxtract [10] • Software written by other UK VI students: LaTeX-access [11], BrlTex [12] • Audio graphing software from NASA [19] etc. • Low technologies and teaching methods • Manipulativesetc. [5] • Human support – what and who? • Training to use specialist and bleeding edge approaches, but also… • Mathematically fluent, touch typist, tech-happy, inventive support workers willing to work with the student to take advantage of ad hoc, research output and open source technologies. • Maths study skills – working memory, designing own methods of working… • Department support • Notes prior to lectures in the right format and teaching considerations [1,2,4,6,7] • Clear information about what will be needed to enable planning including course technology and publishers… [2] The technology demonstrated forms part of the ‘A & R’ method which came out of New College Worcester [1].

6. ‘William’ • Has developed severe arthritis in his hands • Cannot use a keyboard, any mouse or handwrite • Has become a competent Dragon Naturally Speaking user within a very short period • But cannot use this for equations or course software • Degree contains a substantial quantity of applied mathematics • Has note-takers and substantial human support for dictation of mathematics and use of specialist graphical interface software. • Wants to plan ahead for future career! • Sometimes thinks faster than can dictate – forgets what intended • Having problems manipulating equations and graphical ideas and then describing this – runs out of working memory • Is unsure how to revise – used to doing a lot of examples, not enough support worker time • Does not think of self as disabled and is frustrated the technology is not there to do what he needs – does not want this meeting!

7. Tech, low-tech and people! • Specialist commercial mathematical software • MathTalk [15] • But… does not wish to investigate MathTalk as feels it would have same problems (but worse!) than the human support • Ad hoc, research output and Open Source • Dasher [16] paired with some sort of face/head mouse [17,18] • LaTeX input into either LaTeX editor (e.g. BaKoMa [14]) or MathType [13] • Need to be aware of ergonomic issues –support upper body and head appropriately • Low technologies • Equation and graphical interface symbols and board + camera • Human support • Development of working memory skills • Exploration of ad hoc and experimental technologies • To learn LaTeX or enough LaTeX to use DASHER with MathType • Department support • Allow student to use above mentioned low technologies in exams and to hand in photographs/images of such arrangements as part of courseworks Demonstrated method would also be key for students with more significant mobility constraints – see list of hardware options for Dasher http://www.inference.phy.cam.ac.uk/dasher/SpecialNeeds.html

8. ‘Anna’, ‘Daniel and ‘Hazel’ The following three students can all use pen and paper to some extent for their mathematical studies but • It is not always effective • If they were not studying mathematics they would all be using a computer and software to improve the effectiveness of their reading, writing and proofreading

9. ‘Anna’ • Anna has an anxiety disorder which has recently become far more severe • In final year of degree containing significant quantities of mathematics • Previously Anna's anxiety had a more limited impact on her mathematical studies but she is now more unwell and is having difficulties with: • Note-taking: Has always had a note-taker but now has difficulties reading notes that are not completely correct. Errors in the handwritten notes stop her reading and using them. Lecturers have offered their notes in LaTeX but Anna knows very little LaTeX. • Writing: If she makes a mistake compelled re-write entire piece from scratch even for rough work. Re-writes working repeatedly until “perfect” regardless of understanding. Time-consuming and frustrating. Electronic text is less time consuming as it can be edited so it is “perfect”. Anna has been trying to create her study notes for revision in Word but is finding this too time consuming. • Reading: repeatedly re-reads sentences / notation until read “correctly”. Repetition is not connected with a need to understand – compelled to re-read until she has “perfected” her reading. Time-consuming and frustrating. A quick test with audio and simultaneous highlighting (English text) confirms that when listening and reading along she no longer has this compulsion – but technology cannot read aloud lecturer’s LaTeX or Anna’s Word.

10. ‘Daniel’ • Specific Learning Difficulty: Dyslexia • Perceptual reasoning and verbal communication in high average range • Phonological processing: significant level of difficulty • Speed of processing: at 10th percentile in the low average range; able to sequence and organise visual information accurately but at a much slower rate than majority of peers • Working memory: at 13th percentile in the low average range • Writing speed: 10.2 words per minute at 2nd percentile in the borderline range • Writing legibility: Leaves a significant margin on the right, hard to decipher due to erratic letter formation and letters subsumed with other letters – it is hard for the reader to maintain fluency • Substantial difficulties with organising and sequencing written work • A level teachers usually could not read his handwritten mathematics unless he very slowly and carefully transcribed it. He is finding it difficult to find the time to do this at degree level.

11. ‘Hazel’ • Mild visual impairment – at school sat close to board, used own copy of books and writing speed was slower (to ensure legibility) • Not considered partially sighted • Was surprised to find experiencing difficulties at university; SFE decides she is eligible for DSA on medical evidence • Does not consider herself to be disabled… wants technology but no human support and to get on with things • Can read 12pt text but some equations become hard to read, experiences ‘crowding’ and can misread notation • Cannot clearly read the board, department has provided notes (PDF, produced using LaTeX) but she continues to have problems annotating the notes • Loses track looking up and down to board/lecturer • Some parts are not clear enough at 12pt – due to crowding, explains this would be solved completely if the text could be moved about

12. Tech, low-tech and people! • Specialist commericial mathematical software • WYSIWYG LaTeX editor e.g. BaKoMa [14] or LyX • If notes were in Word format then MathType [13] • Ad hoc, research output and Open Source • MathType/TeX4ht (bundled with BaKoMa/LyX) to transform to MathML, then use with ClaroRead/TextHelp or similar and MathPlayer with IE to read aloud • Low technologies • Manipulatives? • Human support • Training to use the above set up (including working round some bugs…) • Maths study skills support to develop appropriate study strategies • Department support • Notes in LaTeX and/or Word • Exams in same format and with technology to support? • Both Anna and Daniel are offered a scribe but neither can imagine using one – for very different reasons

13. Discussion Discussions in groups – consider one or more of the scenarios in the context of your role and organisations • How would you support the student(s)? What would be difficult to achieve? Which staff would be involved? What resources, knowledge and training might be required by staff? • Produce a list of ‘missing’ advice sources, specific practice recommendations, services, communication routes, research etc. which you feel need to be addressed • locally, regionally or nationally? Be ready to feed back to the room

14. Just some projects/references… • Cliffe, E. & Rowlett, P. eds., 2012. Good Practice on Inclusive Curricula in the Mathematical Sciences, National HE STEM Programme: Mathematical Sciences HE Curriculum Innovation Project. Available at: http://mathstore.ac.uk/node/2095http://www.mathcentre.ac.uk/resources/uploaded/InclusiveCurricula.pdf • Williams, R. & Irving, A., 2012. On the accessibility of mathematics to visually impaired students in higher education. • Spybey, D., 2012. Mathematics for visually impaired students at A-level and the transition to degree level. • Rowlett, R. & Rowlett, E., 2012. Experiences of students with visual impairments. • Trott, C., 2012. Mathematics, dyslexia and accessibility. • Cliffe, E., 2012. Annotated list of further information and resources. • Cliffe, E. & Withington, I., 2013. HE STEM Students with Visual Impairment: exploring barriers to transition and progression, National HE STEM Programme: to be disseminated. • Cliffe, E. & White, J., 2012. Methods to produce flexible and accessible learning resources in mathematics in Robinson, C., eds., 2012. Student-centred Approaches in Mathematics, National HE STEM Programme: Mathematical Sciences HE Curriculum Innovation Project. Available at: http://www.mathcentre.ac.uk/resources/uploaded/studentcentred.pdfhttp://www.bath.ac.uk/study/mash/maths-access • Maddox, S., 2007. Mathematical equations in Braille. MSOR Connections, 7(2), pp.45–48. • Osterhaus, S., 2012. Teaching Math to Visually Impaired Students, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, http://www.tsbvi.edu/math • Rowlett, P., Rowlett, E. & Whapples, M., 2011. Accessibility in MSOR: LaTeX and Braille project, http://mathstore.ac.uk/?q=node/1963 • Waterfield, J. & Draffan, E. A., 2012. STEM Learning and Teaching Reconfigured, National HE STEM Programme, http://stem.ecs.soton.ac.uk/ • Whapples, M., 2007. Obtaining Braille mathematical documents. MSOR Connections, 7(3), pp.18–21.

15. Just some selected tools… • InftyReader Group, 2002. InftyReader, Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for scientific documents, http://www.inftyreader.org/ • Sorge et al., 2012. MaxTract, http://researchblogs.cs.bham.ac.uk/math-access/ • Irving, A. & Williams, R., 2007. Latex-access, providing easy on-the-fly braille access to LaTeX documents,http://latex-access.sourceforge.net/ • Whapples, M., 2007. BrlTex: open source LaTex to braille translator, http://brltex.sourceforge.net/ • Design Science, 2013. MathType, http://www.dessci.com/en/products/mathtype/ • BaKoMa Soft, 2012. BaKoMaTeX, http://www.bakoma-tex.com/ • Metroplex Voice Computing, 2013. MathTalk, http://metroplexvoice.com/ • The DASHER project, 2011. Dasher, http://www.inference.phy.cam.ac.uk/dasher/ • Colleyeder Ltd. and NIPG Group, 2013. MouSense, http://www.colleyeder.com/mousense/working/ • Claro Software, 2013. Claro Facemouse,http://www.clarosoftware.com/index.php?cPath=402 • NASA, 2008. MathTrax,http://prime.jsc.nasa.gov/MathTrax/ • MathJax, 2013. MathJax, http://www.mathjax.org/ • Design Science, 2013. MathPlayer, http://www.dessci.com/en/products/mathplayer/